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How to Write Good Sports Journalism

Instructions
1. Be prepared when recording facts for your sports story or article. Carry a notebook and pen or an electronic device when interviewing an athlete. This can prevent misquotes from happening and can ensure accuracy. 2 . Figure out what your audience doesn't already know. This is the reason why people should pick up the newspaper. People rarely care enough to read more about information they already know. 3. Tease the audience when preparing your sports story or article. You want people to be entranced enough to find out what you have to say. If you watch teasers for sports on television, you can see examples of this during the broadcast. Try not to provide all the information, but just enough that the audience wants to find out more. 4. Talk with people in charge of photos and ask them to run a picture with your story. It helps to put a face with the name or event you're covering. 5. Make sure you record the five W's in reporting: who, what, when, where and why. You should learn this in journalism classes. It's best to open with the most vital information.

Sports: Writing The Short Game Story


The Lead
The lead of your story should include the final score and some details about what made the game interesting. Generally this means focusing on the efforts of an individual player. Lets say a teams star athlete is injured and a previously unheralded player comes into the game as a substitute. Not much is expected of this rookie but he defies expectations and plays a great game, leading the team to victory.

Example:

Second-string quarterback Jay Lindman, who had never played a down for Jefferson High School, came off the bench after star QB Fred Torville was injured Friday night and threw three touchdown passes to lead the Gladiators to a 21-14 victory over the McKinley High School Centurions.
Or maybe the game is a close, seesaw battle between two evenly matched opponents, and is won in the final seconds by an especially dramatic play. Example:

Second-string quarterback Jay Lindman threw the game-winning touchdown with just 12 seconds left to lead the Jefferson High School Gladiators to a 21-14 victory over the McKinley High School Centurions Friday night.
Notice that in both examples we focus on the efforts of an individual athlete. Sports is all about the human drama of competition, and focusing on a single person gives the game story a human interest angle that readers will enjoy.

The Body of the Story


The body of your story should basically elaborate on the lead. If your lead was about the benchwarmer becoming the games star, then the body should go into more detail about that. Often a simple chronological account works best. Example:

Torvilles ankle was sprained when he was sacked in the first quarter. Lindman came into the game with low expectations but threw his first touchdown pass in the second quarter with a high, floating ball that receiver Mike Ganson snagged in the end zone. In the third quarter, Lindman was forced to scramble out of the pocket to avoid the rush but managed to fire a bullet to receiver Desean Washington, who made a diving catch at the goal line.

The Wrap Up
The wrap up or ending of your story usually centers on quotes from the coach and players gleaned from post-game interviews or press conferences. Getting great quotes for sports stories can sometimes be tough coaches and athletes often speak in clichs but a snappy quote can really be the icing on the cake of your game story. Example:

I knew Lindman could play but I didnt know he could play like that, said Gladiators coach Jeff Michaelson. That was one heck of a game by a young guy who showed a lot of heart. Washington said Lindman exuded confidence even in the huddle before his very first snap. He just said, Lets do this to win, Washington said. And he went out there and did it. That boy can throw the ball.

Example
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- There is no exhibition game gold medal. The only prize was some player of the game award

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony shared.


Not counting doesn't mean not mattering. Once U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski told the U.S. Olympic team that it was playing in probably the biggest basketball game here since the Dream Team ruled Barcelona, the Americans couldn't help wanting to take it to Spain - even if it may have messed them up in the beginning. "Today was one of those games that as a team, as a unit, we really tried to lock in from the start," Anthony said. "I think we came out a little bit too focused, a little bit overzealous at the beginning and they jumped on us quick. "They came out with a lot of intensity and got some easy shots, easy baskets. Once we settled down and made a couple plays defensively, got back to our comfort zone, we didn't look back from there."

Anthony came off the bench to score 23 of his 27 points in the first half, and the Americans beat Spain 100-78 Tuesday night in a rematch of the 2008 Olympic gold-medal game - and a possible preview of the next one. James added 25 and Kevin Durant had 13, including 10 in the first 3 minutes of the third quarter to help the U.S. break open the teams' final exhibition game before heading to London. "We knew that this was a big game," U.S. guard Chris Paul said. "When Coach K talked to us, he told us this was probably the biggest game here in Barcelona since the '92 team was here, so we approached it like that and it was a good win for us." The teams played a memorable gold-medal game four years ago, the Americans pulling away for a 118-107 victory after leading by only four points with less than 2 minutes left. This one turned out much easier once the U.S. controlled the final three quarters. "It was a good test for us tonight, but the exhibition games are over, the friendlies are over and we look forward to the real challenge of going to London," James said. Pau Gasol scored 19 points and Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka, a native of the Republic of Congo who became a Spanish national last year, had 16. Both teams have been weakened by injuries, with the U.S. missing Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh, all key contributors in Beijing, along with Derrick Rose. The Spaniards are without point guard Ricky Rubio, and All-Star center Marc Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro and Rudy Fernandez have battled injuries this year. They're still the best two teams in the world and favored to meet again in the Aug. 12 gold-medal game. Spain would have a different look, as Marc Gasol was held out of this one while recovering from a left shoulder injury and backup point guard Sergio Rodriguez also sat out. It may not matter if the Americans play like this in the games that count. Spain's players said Monday that while they would try to win this tuneup, the bigger priority was preparing for London. The Americans responded that the Spaniards, playing in front of their home fans, would be compelled to go all out in hopes of a victory. Spain seemed to be playing for real, but was simply overmatched and the Americans eventually ran away for the victory. "Well, it was definitely a game that we would have loved to play better as a team," Gasol said. "We made too many mistakes which they capitalized and they played their game. They're a quick unit, very athletic and once they were able to convert a few fast-break opportunities due to our turnovers, it was hard for us."

The Americans, who would have had Howard, Bosh and Blake Griffin on this roster, believe their quickness and versatility will overcome their size problems, and that's what happened in this one. Spain's size advantage was evident early, especially once Tyson Chandler, the only center on the U.S. roster, went to the bench with two quick fouls. The Spanish pounded the ball inside to Ibaka, who accounted for three straight Spain baskets on dunks, and the Americans were forced to use a timeout - that never happened 20 years ago when the Dream Team ruled Barcelona - after Victor Sada's jumper made it 22-13 with 1:40 left in the opening period. But though Gasol and Ibaka had an obvious advantage inside, neither could deal with Anthony on the perimeter. He made five 3-pointers in the first half while often appearing unguarded behind the arc. He opened and closed a 20-6 burst with 3-pointers as the Americans went from four down to ahead 42-32 with about 3 minutes left in the half. They later went up by 13 before taking a 48-40 lead into the locker room. Gasol had the first basket of the second half, but Durant dominated the next few minutes as the Americans extended the lead to 60-46. Russell Westbrook scored seven straight later in the period, his steal and dunk making it 69-48 with 4:19 left. Spain trimmed it to 12 later in the period, but never had a real shot of getting back into it. At times it felt like a serious game at Palau Sant Jordi, where nearly every seat was filled well before an energetic pregame ceremony, in which the U.S. national anthem was performed live, instead of the usual recording. But it also felt like a show, something along the lines of the NBA All-Star game. Navarro was honored before the game for his 200 appearances for Spain, and Dream Teamers Chris Mullin, David Robinson and Clyde Drexler were introduced during a first-quarter timeout. The teams took a photo together after the game as confetti shot out behind them. The U.S. had a pair of quality tests in Barcelona, beating Argentina 86-80 on Sunday and going 5-0 overall in exhibition play. But the Americans were pushed by all three opponents with legitimate NBA size, the two here and Brazil in an 80-69 victory in Washington. "We played against two very tough teams in Argentina and Spain, so I think it made us a better team," Kobe Bryant said. "I think it showed us some things that we want to do differently, some things that we're doing right, and I think because of it we feel pretty good about our chances." The U.S. and Spain were drawn into opposite Olympic pools, so they wouldn't play until the elimination round. And it's likely to be at the very end of it.

"We know we'll get a different team if we meet them in the Olympics, so this was a one-off game," U.S. guard Deron Williams said. "It doesn't mean anything. It was a good win for us but it doesn't mean anything as far as the Olympics are

concerned."

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